


Just Breathe

by ChokolatteJedi



Category: Vorkosigan Saga - Lois McMaster Bujold
Genre: Awkwardness, Community: 1-million-words, Community: fic_promptly, Family Drama, Gen, Meet the Family, Second Chances
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-02
Updated: 2013-11-02
Packaged: 2017-12-31 09:42:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1030191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChokolatteJedi/pseuds/ChokolatteJedi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Elizabeth's POV, reuniting with Cordelia</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just Breathe

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Reconciliation](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1019540) by [ChokolatteJedi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChokolatteJedi/pseuds/ChokolatteJedi). 



> Written for the my 1MW bingo table with the prompt, "Grandparent" and the fic_promptly prompt "Author's choice, author's choice, just breathe"
> 
>  

Elizabeth reminded herself to breathe as she eyed the sterile walls of the Barrayaran Emperor's ship with the same interested expression as the rest of the Betan party. Behind her mask, however, her mind was whirling. She was about to see Cordelia in person again for the first time in years. And she was about to meet her grandson for the first time.

Cordelia hadn't gone into much detail about the events around Miles' birth, but Elizabeth could guess. Her son, Cordelia's brother, had already gifted her with one perfect little granddaughter, and Elizabeth had been thrilled to become a grandma. When Cordelia had first married Vorkosigan, Elizabeth had done her research on the Barrayaran culture.

One of the first things that she learned was that there were no child limits on Barrayar. Cordelia could have two, or three, or half a dozen children if she wanted. Elizabeth could have a whole house of grandchildren to coddle one day! Though their conversations have been strained and highly supervised by both suspicious governments, Elizabeth had fancied that she had seen similar thoughts lurking beneath her daughter's eyes.

Cordelia hadn't told Elizabeth about Miles. Word had come in an official report from the government, though the Vorkosigan seal had been at the bottom of the plasfilm. Cordelia had been in the hospital at the time, and they had avoided speaking of Miles in their few conversations afterwards.

Now Elizabeth wondered desperately about her second grandchild. Possibly her last grandchild, according to her research on Soltoxin. She knew that he wouldn't look normal, though she wasn't sure to what extent, and she had practiced keeping a neutral expression. The last thing that either Cordelia or Miles needed was her own uncertainty made clear.

They came in sight of the Imperial guards, and Elizabeth forced herself to take deep, calming breaths again. _Just breathe_. She smothered an ironic chuckle. Parenting was supposed to be the hard part - grandparent-ing was supposed to be the simpler task!

But then, Cordelia had never been typical, so why would her child be? Amused by that thought, Elizabeth took another bracing breath as the doors opened.

She could do this. She just had to keep breathing.


End file.
